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(KO) Consumer Staples Stock Outlook – February 2013 – Zacks Analyst Interviews
The companies under the Consumer Staples sector sell relatively low-priced products that consumers use frequently in their daily lives, including food, beverages and products for personal hygiene or household cleaning. The purchase of these necessities is generally stable over time, irrespective of the spending patterns or whether the economy is expanding or contracting.
This is a defensive sector, as the outlook for its companies would not change much with the economic cycle. We have seen that lately, as these companies have been playing their role despite concerns about the prolonged weak U.S. economy, the debt crisis in Europe and the slowdown in China.
Consumer staples stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 as a whole in the year-to-date and trailing 52-week periods, up +9% and +18.4% in the YTD and trailing 52-week periods, compared to gains of +6.4% and +10.8% for the S&P 500, respectively.
Many consumer companies are expanding focus to emerging markets, while many are resorting to cost saving initiatives to survive input cost pressures. The companies are also expanding their portfolios through product innovations and acquisitions.
Expansion in Emerging Markets
With market saturation, low disposable income of consumers and increased competitive activity in developed markets, many companies are diverting their resources to explore emerging markets. Though companies like Coca-Cola (KO) and PepsiCo (PEP) are witnessing improving volume trends in North America, driven by increased marketing and advertising spending, we believe that the markets of North America are relatively mature compared to their untapped developing counterparts such as Brazil, India, China, Mexico, Russia and Southeast Asia, which exhibit positive consumer spending growth.
Moreover, we have seen that product demand has remained stable for companies that are more exposed to fast-growing emerging markets in comparison to the slow-growing and saturated developed markets. Demand for convenient and branded packaged food is growing in the developing countries, as middle-class consumers shift to urban living. Thus, the rising pool of middle class consumers in emerging markets represents a huge opportunity for branded consumer companies.
However, growth in the emerging markets has been largely hurt by currency headwinds for many consumer staples companies due to a stronger dollar, which reduces the value of outside-U.S. sales. But with improving standard of living in developing countries, the companies are now focusing on increasing pricing to derive profits, which was earlier difficult.
Beverage companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have invested heavily in the emerging markets of India, Russia and China, encouraged by the high-growth nature of these countries. However, the slowdown in Chinese economy has hurt the return on investments for companies.
Coca-Cola has already invested over $2 billion in India in the last 18 years and has been witnessing double-digit business growth in India aided by its top brands like Thumbs Up, Sprite and Maaza. Over the next eight years, Coca-Cola, along with its bottling partners, will make a further investment of $3 billion to build consumer marketing, infrastructure and brands in India.
Coca-Cola also has plans to invest $4 billion in China over three years starting 2012, invest $3 billion in Russia between 2012 and 2016, $8 billion in Brazil through 2016 and $300 million in Vietnam between 2012 and 2015.
PepsiCo has invested $700 million in India since 2008. It also plans another $500 million investment over the next three years. Further, with the acquisition of Wimm-Bill-Dann in Sep 2011, PepsiCo took control of the largest food-and-beverage business in Russia, bringing the company closer to its strategic goal of building a $30 billion nutrition business by 2020.
PepsiCo's strategic alliance with leading Chinese food and beverage maker Tingyi Holding Corp. has created the number one liquid refreshment beverage (LRB) manufacturing network in China, and is expected to help PepsiCo to revamp its Chinese business.
H.J. Heinz Company (HNZ) has a significant presence in India, China and Indonesia. Heinz products, especially ketchup, sauces and infant nutrition goods, are showing healthy growth in all of these markets due to brisk demand. Management expects its businesses in China, Indonesia, Brazil and Eastern Europe to each generate around $1 billion in sales over the next 3-5 years, with emerging markets as a whole to double its sales to around $5 billion.
Recently, Heinz agreed to be acquired by an investment group led by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) and private Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital for $28 billion, including debt.
Coffee giant Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) is also gaining popularity with consumers across China and the Asia-Pacific region, which has grown 33% (in terms of revenue) since 2010 and is expected to achieve meaningful business growth over the next five years.
Starbucks has already entered the lucrative Indian market with its first three store openings in Mumbai in Oct 2012 and a fourth store in Delhi early this month. The company has also entered the Vietnam market with its first store in Ho Chi Minh City on Feb 1.
Cost Reduction Initiatives
Most consumer staples companies are also undertaking several strategic initiatives like the divestiture of low-margin brands, improvement of the supply chain and implementation of cost-reduction initiatives, in an effort to reduce the effects of inflating commodity costs. Though cost inflation has subdued, rising commodity and other input costs remain a drag on margins of most of the companies in this sector, despite top-line growth.
Coca-Cola is undertaking various productivity initiatives to streamline its cost structure and boost profitability. With the launch of a four-year productivity and reinvestment program in Feb 2012, the company plans to optimize its global supply chain, improve effectiveness of global marketing and innovation, achieve operating expense leverage, standardize information systems and integrate North American bottling and distribution operations acquired from Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE). The program is expected to generate incremental annualized savings of $550 to $600 million over the four-year period ending in 2015.
PepsiCo also announced a restructuring program in Feb 2012, which is expected to result in $3 billion productivity savings by 2015. The program will include leveraging new technologies and processes across operations, consolidating facilities, simplifying organization structures, lowering layers of management, workforce reduction of 3% and many more efforts.
Tobacco company Altria Group's (MO) cost reduction program of $1 billion is expected to deliver $400 million in annualized cost savings by the end of 2013. The company also reduced its workforce by 700 employees in Feb 2012 as a part of its restructuring program to reduce cost.
Another tobacco seller, Reynolds American (RAI), also remains focused to reduce cost. The company is expected to save about $70 million annually by 2015 associated with workforce restructuring done in the year 2012.
Philip Morris International (PM) has also announced a one-year gross productivity and cost savings target for 2013 of approximately $300 million. Last year, the company managed to exceed its one-year gross productivity and cost savings target of $300 million primarily through the rationalization of tobacco blends and product specifications and other manufacturing and procurement initiatives.
Consumer products giant, Kimberly-Clark (KMB) is undertaking a cost savings program, FORCE (Focused on Reducing Costs Everywhere), which is benefiting the company through the continued rollout of lean manufacturing and supply chain practices and the formation of a global procurement organization. These initiatives generated cost savings of about $240 million in 2009, about $370 million in 2010, about $265 million in 2011 and $295 million in 2012. Kimberly-Clark expects $250–$300 million of cost savings in 2013.
Kimberly-Clark's pulp and tissue restructuring program focuses on improving underlying profitability and return on invested capital of its consumer tissue and K-C Professional businesses, which have been facing declining profits for many years. Through this program, Kimberly-Clark anticipates operating profit to increase by at least $75 million in 2013 and at least $100 million in 2014.
Consumer product companies need to innovate and upgrade their brands to create differentiated value propositions for their customers in order to remain successful.
PepsiCo's low calorie cola — Pepsi Next, launched in July 2012 — was successful. The company also utilizes new packaging to shift consumers to more profitable purchases. Its 24-ounce can for regular and diet Dew is generating good customer response. The company's recent innovations at the premium end include Quaker Real Medleys hot cereals, Stacy's Gingerbread and Stacy's Cocoa and Lay's Stax potato chips. The new innovations are expected to boost revenue growth and also enable increased price realization in the long run.
Starbucks has also introduced new products to excite customers. With the launch of its premium single cup domestic coffee machine Verismo in Sept 2012, the company expects to significantly expand Starbucks' presence in the fast growing premium single cup coffee segment. Apart from coffee, the company opened four Evolution Fresh juice stores across the U.S., in order to meet the needs of the increasingly health conscious Americans. In March 2012, the company launched a new energy drink, Starbucks Refreshers, thus marking its entry into the $8 billion energy drink market.
Starbucks is also diversifying with the La Boulange bakery acquisition to popularize the French bakery experience in the U.S. markets. In addition, with the acquisition of Teavana in late Dec 2012, the company aims to capture further share of the $40 billion tea category. The company has also enhanced its core food offering, which has jumped double digits in each of the last two fiscal years.
The tobacco sector has also been active in innovation with the development of new products which reduce the harm caused by tobacco. Reynolds American's Zonnic nicotine replacement therapy gum and the Vuse e-cigarette offer potential for long-term commercial success. Zonnic gum saves smokers from the harmful effects of tobacco, while Vuse e-cigarette delivers vapor and taste and has potential for long-term growth.
Despite macroeconomic headwinds, some of these companies have been able to deliver impressive results and have the potential to grow in the upcoming quarters. The improved business backdrop is showing up in positive earnings momentum for consumer staples stocks, resulting in a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), Tyson Foods (TSN) and Smithfield Foods (SFD).
Some attractive Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stocks worth considering are Smucker's (SJM), Kellogg's (K), Procter & Gamble (PG) and Hershey's (HSY).
Coffee maker Green Mountain's performance turned around in the fourth quarter of 2012 (ending September) from past few weak quarterly results, driven by the success of Keurig Single Cup Brewers, single serve packs (K-cups), and Keurig-related products. The company's margins are improving with favorable green coffee costs.
The company is focusing on its products through innovations and upgrading its Keurig brewing system to attract more customers. Green Mountain has raised its earnings guidance twice for fiscal 2013 in the last two quarters. Green Mountain appears to be well positioned for growth in the future quarters.
Stabilizing coffee costs also improved the margins at Smucker's. The company has witnessed year-over-year earnings growth in all the three quarters of fiscal 2013 (ending April), driven by company's strong portfolio of brands, focus on innovations and promotional offerings. Moreover, strategic acquisitions have broadened Smucker's presence across emerging markets and added popular brands to its portfolio. The company has increased its fiscal 2013 earnings guidance in the last two quarters, reflecting the company's potential to drive profits in the coming quarters.
Like Green Mountain, the consumer products giant P&G also had a tough fiscal 2012 (ending June). However, the company has implemented some meaningful changes to re-accelerate its top and bottom-line growth to keep pace with its peers, which is reflected in its two back-to-back solid quarterly results in fiscal 2013. In addition, the company's cost savings and productivity improvement initiatives have improved margins.
The world's largest cereal maker, Kellogg, has delivered solid growth in earnings in all the four quarters of 2012, driven by robust organic sales growth performance. Despite its sluggish cereal business, challenges in Europe and rising input costs, we are optimistic about Kellogg's solid brand positioning, its geographic diversity and cost-saving efforts, especially its supply-chain initiatives. Moreover, we are encouraged by the growth potential of the Pringles snack business, which was acquired in June last year from P&G.
Meat products processor Tyson has been witnessing strong momentum in the last several quarters backed by its bright prospect in beef and chicken business and consistent innovation towards low fat meat production. Rising demand for chicken coupled with positive pricing is helping the company reap wider margins. In addition, Tyson is working on growing its prepared foods, international poultry and value-added poultry businesses by producing high quality foods by using innovative and cost-effective processes.
Tyson's close peer Smithfield also has bright prospects ahead as the company expects hog prices and the impact of grain costs to ease in the upcoming quarters. Smithfield's results have been suffering since last two or three years as a result of higher grain costs and oversupply of hogs. However the company recovered nicely in fiscal 2011 (ending April) and posted record revenues in fiscal 2012, backed by the company's brand building investments and innovation, restructuring initiatives, improved packaging and production of healthier choices for consumers using lean protein and natural ingredients.
Smithfield is also increasing its focus on consumer convenience by introducing more ready-to-eat foods. Increased export volume of fresh pork is also encouraging and we expect strong demand of fresh pork in the upcoming quarters.
Hershey has solid growth potential driven by strong brand positioning, strategic marketing investments in core brands, disciplined innovation, lower cost inflation, improved pricing and volumes and strong productivity. In fact, Hershey has outperformed and delivered positive surprises in three out of the four quarters of 2012 and has raised its guidance thrice in 2012, highlighting its attractive earnings potential. The outlook for 2013 is also encouraging, especially the expectation of no cost inflation this year.
The macro-economic environment in the U.S. has remained challenging and uncertain for quite some time now. The European economy has also remained unfavorable. The pace of economic recovery is relatively slow in U.S., whereas the consumer environment in U.S. is recovering at a mild pace. In Europe, the economic conditions are uncertain and China is also seeing some slowdown. These global economic pressures are expected to continue in 2013 and severely impact the companies in the coming quarters.
For the global brewer Molson Coors (TAP), the acquisition of StarBev in Jun 2012 opened opportunities in the attractive beer market in Central Europe. However, unfavorable economic conditions in Europe will offset the gains from the acquisition. Moreover, the company has been facing continued decline in volumes in three major markets of U.S., U.K. and Canada in the last three years.
Molson Coors has also spent on marketing and advertising for its Miller Lite and the Molson Brands but this has not led to consistent growth in volumes. The increasing raw material costs of the company and the currency headwinds hurting the top line also remains a concern.
We believe that tough global macroeconomic conditions and declining volume trends will continue to drag the company's performance in the upcoming quarters. Currently, the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Mondelez International (MDLZ), which focuses on the global food and snacks business of the old Kraft Foods, missed on both the top and bottom lines in fourth quarter 2012 mainly due to currency headwinds. In addition, the gum and candy business has been suffering for the last few quarters. Management does not expect the gum business to stabilize in the coming quarters. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Beverage company Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) has had a dismal 2012, posting a negative surprise in two of the four quarters of 2012. The company missed the Zacks Consensus Estimates for both revenue and earnings while just managing to meet company expectations for the year.
Moreover, the company's weak volume growth, higher cost pressure and lack of exposure outside the U.S. is concerning. The company has been facing persistent weakness in the overall carbonated soft drinks' (CSD) volumes in North America since the past few months, which also remains a significant overhang.
Changing consumer preferences, increasing health consciousness and growing regulatory pressures are affecting beverage sales. We therefore prefer to avoid the stock for the next few quarters. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
BERKSHIRE HTH-B (BRK.B): Free Stock Analysis Report
COCA-COLA ENTRP (CCE): Free Stock Analysis Report
DR PEPPER SNAPL (DPS): Free Stock Analysis Report
GREEN MTN COFFE (GMCR): Free Stock Analysis Report
HEINZ (HJ) CO (HNZ): Free Stock Analysis Report
HERSHEY CO/THE (HSY): Free Stock Analysis Report
KELLOGG CO (K): Free Stock Analysis Report
KIMBERLY CLARK (KMB): Free Stock Analysis Report
COCA COLA CO (KO): Free Stock Analysis Report
MONDELEZ INTL (MDLZ): Free Stock Analysis Report
ALTRIA GROUP (MO): Free Stock Analysis Report
PEPSICO INC (PEP): Free Stock Analysis Report
PROCTER & GAMBL (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report
PHILIP MORRIS (PM): Free Stock Analysis Report
REYNOLDS AMER (RAI): Free Stock Analysis Report
STARBUCKS CORP (SBUX): Free Stock Analysis Report
SMITHFIELD FOOD (SFD): Free Stock Analysis Report
SMUCKER JM (SJM): Free Stock Analysis Report
MOLSON COORS-B (TAP): Free Stock Analysis Report
TYSON FOODS A (TSN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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"New" Victor Reader Trek Form-Fitted Leather Case.
EPI has created and designed the Victor Reader Trek case. This case is a soft form-fitted custom leather case for the Victor reader Trek This case is made of high grade Napa leather that fits snuggly around your unit, and has a storage zipper compartment for your ear buds. The case has been designed to enable the user to easily utilize your VRT while the case is on the unit, and allows the unit to be carried on a comfortable strap or clipped on your belt. The unit may be used while walking, sitting or simply standing. The case has easy access to the headset jack, USB port, and SD flash memory cards. The case is manufactured with high quality leather to provide durable outer protection. This case comes with a leather covered belt clip on the back of the unit. If you liked our VRS-2 then you will love the VRT case, shipping Nov 15, 2017
U-tube Instruction Video Click here
To Purchase our products in:
Canada: HumanWare at (819) 471-4818
Available on GSA Schedule, contract number GS07F6046R
With further modifications by Electron Jungle LLC.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to the photo gallery of the Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project. You find a lot of pictures taken in the KMP's field site in the South African Kalahari. The pictures are arranged in the following albums:
Pictures of meerkats in action, meerkat behaviour, natural history type pictures. The categories are:
A Meerkat close-ups
B Pregnancy, pups, juveniles, playfighting
C Grooming and sunning
D Eating, drinking, food competitions
E Sentinels, mobbing, natural enemies
F Fighting meerkats - within the group or between groups
Portraits of individual meerkats. The names and ID codes of each meerkat are given.
Observing the observers - pictures of researchers, volunteers, Earthwatchers or the Meerkat Manor movie crew, while they follow the lives of the KMP meerkats.
Impressions from the Kuruman River Reserve, the KMP's field site, including Kalahari landscapes, sunsets, but also the abundant wildlife.
Meet the Whiskers... many more than you've ever met before! The KMP's famous movie stars now have their own gallery, covering the years 2003 to 2008!
Read more about the FKMP at friends.kalahari-meerkats.com
Copyright notice: The pictures in this gallery, as well as all other content on kalahari-meerkats.com is protected by copyright. You may use the pictures in the gallery for your personal use, but not for public or commercial use without written permission.
Album: Behaviour
Album: Portraits
Album: Daily life
Album: Impressions
Album: Whiskers
Album: Meerkat Picture Contest


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March 8, 2011 was one of the proudest moments in our organization's history. On that day, we officially announced a revolutionary relationship with LIVESTRONG. As we stated then, we were determined to utilize the naming rights of our beautiful new stadium to encourage social change. We were thrilled to have a foundation of the stature of LIVESTRONG share this same interest. Most importantly, we were honored with the opportunity to support the fight against cancer nationally, as well as here in Kansas City. LIVESTRONG appeared to be the ideal partner for turning our vision into action.
There have been several instances over the last 22 months when our partnership with LIVESTRONG has been called into question, both by media and the general public. Throughout this entire period, we have staunchly defended the LIVESTRONG mission and never wavered in our continuing support of the cause. Our plan was that through collaborative support from LIVESTRONG, we would not just meet our stated donation goal, but exceed it by a wide margin. We were excited about the potential to engage with other foundation partners and bring new special events to Kansas City.
Over the course of the past year, it became clear that LIVESTRONG no longer shared the same spirit of partnership, despite our perseverance to the contrary. We realized at the time this could be the beginning of a tumultuous period for the foundation. We were patient as they sorted through these issues. Despite the distractions, leadership from LIVESTRONG and Sporting Club were actively engaged in discussions to redefine expectations for both parties. Based on assurances from key LIVESTRONG leadership, we believed this ongoing dialogue was very positive.
This morning we were disappointed to learn LIVESTRONG is utilizing aggressive tactics designed to force us into an unsatisfactory arrangement. We willingly admit we were not expecting the foundation to treat a partner in this manner. Even more surprising is that LIVESTRONG would take this action in the midst of a significant transitional phase for their organization.
Our faith and trust in this partnership have been permanently damaged; therefore we are terminating our agreement with LIVESTRONG, effectively immediately. As a result of this decision, our stadium will now be referred to as Sporting Park. While we are ending this relationship, our support of the fight against cancer will endure. We look forward to introducing new initiatives to assist these efforts in Kansas City.
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text: Seeing Beyond the Melt Lens Into Crustal Accretion Processes at Mid-Ocean Ridges SHARE THIS: ORI Funded Research: 2011AbstractOcean crust is generally thought to form from crystallization of melts as they ascend from the mantle, cool, and crystallize, however, the details and depths over which this process occurs is not well understood. Constraints on crustal accretion have been derived from textural and petrologic observations in ophiolites, models of hydrothermal cooling, and geophysical studies at the ridge axes. However, due to mixing and homogenization in axial magma chambers, very few geochemical studies of lavas erupted on-axis can provide insights into processes occurring beneath the melt lens on fast- and intermediate-spreading centers. Here, we propose to use melt inclusions trapped in olivine phenocrysts from the East Pacific Rise and Juan de Fuca ridge to see beyond the melt lens into the lower ocean crust on fast- and intermediate-spreading centers. Volatile analyses of melt inclusions will be used to calculate the pressure (or depth) of crystallization, which will provide constraints on where crustal accretion takes place. These results will be combined with major and trace element analyses of the melt inclusions to determine how melt evolves during ascent through the oceanic crust. This study will provide a different perspective on outstanding questions on magma differentiation during ascent from the mantle, melt-rock reaction in the lower crust, the depth of crystallization, and the creation of oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges. Furthermore, the results of the proposed study will ultimately lead to a better understanding of processes occurring in the lower oceanic crust that can be applied to more complicated ridge settings in future studies.


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Thu 10th Apr 2014, by Linda Berkgvist | Tutorial
Painting hair isn't, obviously, like painting a face. Doing a tutorial on it is a wildly different experience than a face tutorial. Why? Hair doesn't have any static features. There is no way of telling you where to place a strand of hair the way I can tell you where the nose goes. There's no anatomy of it, except that it has a certain weight and is likely to fall a certain way, and even that you can mess with because there is hair spray and gel and whatever else you might stick in it.
Throughout the tutorial you'll see some little tips and tricks added to the actual instruction pictures. Some of them are the brushes I'm using, some are tips directly related to the painting of hair, and some are just thoughts I added as I went along.
The first thing you need to do is to decide on the colour of the hair. This hair will be brownish, but with a wee touch of gold in it. The darkest colour I'll pick for it is nearly black. This is usually true of ALL hair colours - even the lighter blondes where you'll end up painting over a lot of the dark tone, but it's still better to have it there underneath than to go too light. Once the colours are picked (make them one highlighter, two mid-tones and one shadow), block in the shape of the hair.
WORK ON A LARGE CANVAS. I can't possibly stress this enough - if you're going to do really nice hair, work big. If you're putting it into a full-body image and you don't think you can work big enough......wrong, work big and then shrink it down to fit into the rest of the picture.
Common mistakes:
Starting out with a bright colour and then spending the rest of the time trying to darken it down with shadows. I can't stress enough how much it helps to do it the other way around. With skintones, it's best to start with a midtone, but with hair -- it's always helpful to begin dark. And the biggest mistake of all: not realising that hair really needs a level of detailing that 500x500 pixels won't give you. If you want this level of detail you need to work much bigger than that.
What's done next is the blocking in on the large locks of hair. Just smoothly sketch in where you figure the strands will fall. The trick is to think of the hair not as a lot of individual strands at this point, but of it as thick sections that you will later work to detail down into individual strands in places. Pick colours at your leisure - starting out with the two midtones that you chose. No highlighting at this point.
Common mistakes:
A lot of people start painting hair by painting the strands. Some won't even block it in, initially, but start frantically sketching in strand after strand on top of each other. The end result of this will often look like a clump of straw pulled together. Hair naturally separates into locks. It's really, really hard getting this result if you're not painting it in sections - you'll have to somehow, miraculously, paint every individual strand and somehow get them to flow in the right directions.
Pick a spackled brush now and try the clumps of hair out. What I mean by that is that you sketchily paint over the hard edges of the individual locks and just get a feel for how the locks will end, if they'll curl up a little and just the general 'feel' and 'flow' of the hair. Since there aren't, like I mentioned earlier, any static features of a hair it is so easily affected by the environment around. It's pretty good if you get the flow of it down right at this point.. From here on, there will be detailing, and detailing, and detailing and if you realise later that you messed it up here, you will be more than a bit peeved. So just get a feel for it. See if it falls all right considering wind and the general look. Also check if you're happy with the hairstyle.
Common mistakes:
Not considering the wind - a skirt blowing in one direction, for instance, and the hair in the other. Not considering the weight of the hair (short hair often being fluffier, long hair heavier) or the effect that items might have on it (tiara weighing it down, ribbon pulling it up).
This is where the fun starts. You can now begin thinking about the fall of the light, the effects of colours around the hair (I'm making this easy for myself, the background is pretty much the same tone as the hair, but if it hadn't been I would have had to consider it here) but most of all just smoothing out the hard blocks of hair and giving it some flow. I've got a perfect brush for this. When I just want to quickly smooth the hair out, I'll use a regular round brush with soft edges, but if I want to give the locks of hair semi-sharp edges in places... I can be clever and use a brush that has one side that's sharp and one that's soft (as seen in picture). Try making one, it's awesome. Try starting to break up the blocks - into smaller sections while still keeping the bigger ones. Not as easy as it sounds.
Common Mistakes:
Just painting over the blocks of hair. Big no-no. We still need the blocks, it's just that we're adding some more.
Continue to both soften the hair AND break the blocks of hair up. Since we have those individual sections flowing in different directions, it will already start looking like 'hair' at this point. Continually use only soft-edged brushes and don't care if the result looks too-smooth or smudged at this point. It won't later. Don't forget that the different locks of hair will have impact on each other. Where they meet, they might either shadow one another or merge together.
Common mistakes:
Drawing individual strands too soon. I know frustrating to wait for so long - the detailing is the fun part - but when it comes to hair, there's really no rushing ahead.
Now, here's the real trick. Even though we'll detail the entire hair, there's no need to super-detail all of it. Pick out one lock that will receive the most attention. Everything you do to the entire hair, you'll do twice as much to this strand. The texture and detail level of this one lock will have major impact on the rest of the picture even without everything else being quite so detailed. Just trust me on this one.
I'll pick the lock falling down along the side of her head. Once you've got a lock singled out, use a spackled brush and with very light pressure, softly follow the flow of the lock down to where it ends. Repeat over and over again in short strokes -- and keep your finger on the colour picker (the alt key while you're using the brush) to use the right colour in the right place. This way, you will bring out the shape of the lock while keeping the separated, thinner sections. The spackled brush will help to, even at this early stage, add some nice texture.
Common mistakes:
Unnatural fall. Take some time to study how hair actually falls. How the curls or locks wrap themselves and how they affect one another. Unless the hair is heavily styled with lots of hairspray and fussing, there are some things it generally won't do.
Stop a moment and take a look at what you've done so far. This is as good a point as any to really consider the curves of the hair because we're about to go into detailing, and very difficult to trying to change it much after this stage. Successful looking hair will have nice, clean, natural lines to it. Even wildly curly hair looks better if the locks flow and work well together, than if it looks like they're just lumped together randomly. Do a separate layer and follow the locks of hair with some brightly painted arrows. Are they all pointing in different directions? If they are, chances are you might want to adjust them unless you're painting hair in motion or some pretty unnatural looking hair. If it's looking okay, repeat step 6 over the rest of the head.
Common mistakes:
Getting carried away with how fun it is to paint flowing hair. Yes, big bouncy hair is nice, but it's better to keep this in perspective, unless something over-the-top is what you're aiming for. Subtle is often far prettier than overdone.
We're finally getting to the details. There's not really any 'trick' right here. What you do is make a new layer. You pick a normal, sharp edged round brush and you paint strands following the general shape of the locks you have. You use a dark colour to begin with. You pause, you smudge it a little with a spackled brush - still in the hair's direction... and then you paint new strands on top of it in a slightly lighter colour... pause, smudge... repeat. Keep picking colours from the hair underneath and make sure not to remove the general shapes you've already created - and since you're keeping all of this on a separate layer... feel free to erase away in places to bring forth the nice texturing you've already done underneath. Because you've prepared and textured the hair so nicely already, there is no need to overdo this and you don't have to be so careful all over the place. The hair was already looking pretty nice before you got to this point.
Common mistakes:
Completely abandoning the shapes you've already set down. At this point, it's SO easy to fall back on the old 'every hair for itself' principle. These might be individual strands, but they SHOULD be moving in group. They should be together and flowing in unison with one crossing over the other now and then and breaking each other up.
Texture, texture, texture. Once the flow is done, it's all about the texture. A really nice way to accomplish that wild puzzle of strands that makes up a hair is to paint strand after strand after strand on top of each other, then on top of those on a new layer, strand after strand. Do up to five different layers with different colours, set them to different opacity, blur the strands individually either with smudge or with the blur tool and just keep at it.
Varying between a slightly bigger brush and a really small one, you'll trick the eye into seeing small strands even where there aren't any. Remember that one lock that will have super-details? Focus on that one.
Common mistakes:
Thinking that, every individual strand has to be painted all over the head. When I say a lot of details are nice, I don't really mean that level of detail.
All right, flatten. Just flatten all the layers if you haven't already. Chances are you'll have way too many layers at this point. Then, on top of your neat, nice one-layered image, add a new layer and set it to soft light.
Now you're going to do something that likely looks weird, but it really adds to the effect when viewed from a slight distance. Pick a brush, almost any brush, but make it small. Then, pick a colour from the canvas - set it as your background colour and then pick another colour as foreground. Go into brush settings and set the pen pressure to colour, and... scribble. Just scribble over the hair, shifting colours as you go, using a low opacity on the layer, and adding texture and depth to the hair. If you use dark colours, you'll also add a nice amount of contrast that will help with the realism.
Common mistakes:
Just skipping the random texturing. It really helps to add life to hair even if it seems like pure madness, so don't leave it out.
Zooming out, you'll see that the hair looks really nice already. If you don't care to do that much more, you can stop here.
What I generally do at this point is to fix the hairstyle. I've usually painted using the first clumsy blocked in shape and now that I can see the flow of the hair better, I'll go in and just fix the edges up. I'll push it in one place and out in another, perhaps, so that the shape of it follows the locks I've painted. Using the trick of painting individual strands of hair on a separate layer and very lightly blurring or smudging them, follow the outline of the hair and add some 'frizz' to it. It still looks smooth and sleek but there's more life to it, now.
For added effect, go to the edges of the hair and use a soft, nice brush to feather the ends of the locks. There's really no overdoing this unless you totally go mad with it, and if you use a nice, dark colour - some of it will look like nice shadows, and some of it will look like shadowed strands. If the hair is shoulder length, as it is here, it really breaks up the monotony of skin... and if the hair has bangs, please do something similar with the bangs but not quite as feathery - or the hair ends up having a slightly frazzled look.
Common mistakes:
Just leaving the hair blocky. Generally, the edges have already been softened up by now, but even so, give it a once-over just for safety's sake.
I said something about super-detailing, didn't I? This effect is extremely difficult to get if you haven't followed the other steps, and if you haven't got a pretty good idea of how hair 'works'. If you're having a rough time of it, please find some photos to study - it will really help... or just set a mirror up next to the computer.
The trick is to use a really small brush. First follow the flow of the hair with light pressure, and then swerve out from it and across the other strands. This is what really makes a difference and is also what takes a painstaking amount of time. It's not absolutely necessary, but the end result is really nice. These separate strands should always be made on layers of their own and carefully treated before they're flattened down. The big upside of doing the strands on individual layers is that you can lock the layer and then paint and shade the individual strands to fit into their surrounding environment. Treat them the way you did those large sections of hair, with shading according to how they fall and where the light is.
The other great thing about using separate layers is that you can erase, smudge, blur, and adjust until you get the look you want. This all sounds serious, but it's not. It's just difficult until you learn the process, then you will be quick.
Common mistakes:
Making too many of these errant strands and ending up with static looking hair... making them too obvious or too starkly contrasting, which generally just looks dumb, or alternatively not adding a single wayward strand of hair into an entire hairstyle, and ending up with something akin to a brand new Barbie-doll style.
Finally, and yes we're at the last couple of steps now, add a few more 'obvious' strands that fall across entire sections of hair. If you skip the previous step because it's just too much into tiny details that you feel you don't need, at least don't skip this one. It really, really adds to the look of a hairstyle with a few of these playful locks.
The trick here is to make it seem as if they're actually escaping from a larger lock of hair and just sort of floating out across the rest of the hair, perhaps tugged away by the wind. To add to the effect, a very faint shadow from the strand might fall across the rest of the hair, just making it more visible and also enhancing the appearance of it flying free.
Common mistakes:
Unless it's windy or you're painting a wild-haired person, you won't need too many 'errant strands'. This is one of those discreet touches that really makes a picture - but like all those kind of touches, it can also break the overall effect if it is over done.
Now you're done!
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Embrace the perfect tool for key conversations—your voice.
Tweet. Post. Chat. Text. Email. On and on. It's fantastic to have so much choice. But, when the stakes are high, nothing replaces talking. Sometimes, you need to simply pick up the phone.
Let us make your conversations vibrant.
Most of us "talk" more by text than by speaking. It's the way life is, and it's good. But when issues get complex, when nuance is more valuable than facts, or when we need an answer now—when we reach for an escalation tool—it's hard to replace the dynamics of the human voice.
We deliver voice as a high-definition, immersive experience. Our desktop phones are designed to get out of the way, to remove distractions.
Award-winning design.
Intuitive touch controls. Informative displays. HD audio. Bluetooth connectivity. German construction. Created with mobile integration in mind. And Green, with OpenStage phones as the only recipient of Europe's coveted "Blue Angel" eco-friendly designation and our 35G Eco phone with ENERGY STAR certification.
Success Story | Dinse-Gellin Elektro GbR
A communications solution from Unify helps Dinse-Gellin who offers "all things electrical" ensure they can be reliable, and always available when customers need to speak to them.
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When so many awards shows flood the television airwaves this time of year, it's surprising that some groups — the WGA, DGA, critics orgs — have not made a TV deal. In fact, some say they don't want a TV deal.
There is the question of maintaining control and integrity. But, like everything else in Hollywood, money is always a factor — and sometimes the figures don't add up.
Obviously, no organization would get anywhere near the $50 million-plus for the Oscarcast. But with tidy TV deals for the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and SAG Awards, you'd think an org could get a million or two, right?
Wrong. One high-profile group was in talks for a cable broadcast. But the organization realized that for TV, they would need to spruce up the set, augment the lighting, and factor in added costs for the celebrity presenters. They figured the bill would increase $300,000 — but the cabler offered them a license fee of only $50,000.
In theory, a kudocast could build an audience over the years, and increase the license fee gradually, but some say it's not worth it.
A TV deal changes the DNA of the event. With a private awards handout, the focus is on the recipients. But if the kudocast is televised, the show becomes basically a TV taping in which awards are handed out between commercials.
DGA president Michael Apted said broadcasters frequently woo the guild, but they always decline.
"Some of our awards are very sexy, like feature director, but there's a whole chunk of awards that aren't of general interest and I'd hate to put these under some sort of pressure. I would worry that broadcasters would say 'this isn't sexy' and would want to change things.
"We honor the craft," Apted emphasized, "and we do it at an event where members can let their hair down."
When it comes to deals, others say they're playing it by ear. WGA prexy Patric Verrone says, "We are keeping our options open."
AFI prez-CEO Bob Gazzale was around for the group's first (and last) televised awards show on CBS in January 2002. It was the first post-9/11 kudocast and few nominees showed up — and not many viewers did either.
Though AFI has other TV deals (life achievement prize, 100 great movie moments, et al.) and CBS was willing to try another go-round with the kudocast the following year, Gazzale said, "It was clear that our goals did not match the goals of TV. We felt like the AFI Awards identity was being lost by conforming to television's needs."
The AFI board asked then-topper Jean Picker Firstenberg and Gazzale, "What would you do if you could do anything?"
The result is the annual private luncheon that honors 20 works of the year, divided evenly between film and TV. "We open every lunch with the same word: 'Relax.' It's not about what anyone's wearing, it's about the work. There are no winners, no losers, no disappointed reaction shots — which doesn't make for great television," Gazzale says.
And while the Oscar ceremonies are the centerpoint and climax of the entire awards season, many kudos vets say their favorite event is the annual nominees luncheon — which has been held for the past 27 years and which, significantly, has never been televised.
So, with threats of a SAG strike looming over the coming awards season, all of you orgs with TV deals can take heart. If it ends up that your ceremony is not televised, don't worry about those millions in lost income! As they say at AFI, "Relax!" Just realize that you'll be broke but having fun. And in these times of economic hardships, isn't that what's important?


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Although milk is not toxic to cats, it can cause digestive upset in many felines. Look instead for special cat milk, which has been treated with an enzyme that prevents stomach problems.read more
Let's face it. Cats are not exactly known for their ambition. After all, they spend two-thirds of their life sleeping and aren't the types to spend a great deal of time ruminating on self-improvement. That being said, they could use some new year's resolutions as much as the next creature. So what are some ideas that owners and cats can implement to make 2012 a banner year?
Exercise more. Obesity is a common problem in domestic cats, leading to medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and pancreatitis. A little bit of daily exercise using laser pointers, feather toys and catnip balls can go a long way when it comes to helping your cat stay healthy and svelte in the coming year.
Drink plenty of water. Cats are notoriously prone to renal disease and conditions that affect the bladder, such as feline lower urinary tract disease. Cats on dry kibble diets are particularly prone to dehydration, as they often do not ingest enough water when they eat. Placing multiple bowls around the house or using a fountain like the Drinkwell Pet Fountain encourages your cat to drink more and stay hydrated.
Go see the vet, even if you hate it. Getting a stressed and upset cat into a carrier is a challenge that many pet owners just don't want to deal with, meaning some cats miss out entirely on veterinary care. Many diseases -- such as diabetes, kidney failure and dental disease -- are often not noticeable to owners until the diseases are in the advanced stages. If your cat is a handful at the vet, you can ask your veterinarian about sedatives to give at home prior to a visit, or consider a home-visit veterinarian.
Perhaps your cat isn't thrilled with the usual "improve your health in the new year" sorts of things that we humans tend to embrace every January 1. With that in mind, here are a couple of more suggestions that embody the cat desire for world domination:
Amass a huge following on Facebook or Twitter. While humans tend to limit their social media circles to immediate friends or family, cats are natural celebrities, entertaining us with their day-to-day cat antics. All they need is a human companion to help with the typing bit. Sockington, to name just one, is a cat with almost 1.5 million Twitter followers.
Make a viral video. With a smartphone and a YouTube account, we humans are rendered helpless by the sight of a cat being, well, a cat. Take Maru, for example, whose video of him getting into boxes has over 6 million views.
Photo Credit: @iStockphoto.com/dentharg
Dr. Jessica Vogelsang is a small-animal veterinarian from San Diego. When she's not at work or with her family of two and her four-legged creatures, you can find her blogging about life with pets at PawCurious.com. Dr. Vogelsang's blogs have previously appeared on The Daily Cat.
Cats reach full skeletal development when they are this old:


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Three directors, four hours, 25 crew members, 35 actors, 1,000 falafel roll-ups, and lots and lots of fake blood. That's what it will take to put on the Boston premiere of the innovative play These Seven Sicknesses – which is why it's happening exclusively at Suffolk.
Based on Sean Graney's new adaptation of Sophocles' seven surviving tragedies, These Seven Sicknesses is an ambitious, marathon production. All seven plays are performed in a fast-moving, four-hour event, complete with a vegetarian dinner and dessert served during intermission.
"Given the sheer magnitude of the production – the length, the number of performers and crew, and the fact that we even feed the audience during the show – professional theatre companies typically can't afford to mount this production," explains production manager Jim Bernhardt.
"For our students, the reward is learning about classics while being the first in the city to perform this incredibly fun and moving piece."
Suffolk professor Wes Savick, who's directing five of the seven segments, was first exposed to the play on a trip to New York.
"A four-hour play? I thought, 'how could they possibly make this work?'" Savick recalls. "But the rapid-fire succession of the stories kept us all so engaged, and breaking bread with fellow audience members added a unique communal element to the experience."
Much of the logistical responsibility of corralling 60 actors and crew belongs to veteran stage manager and senior theatre student Anthony Schiavo. Schiavo, who has worked on numerous student and professional productions, calls These Seven Sicknesses worth all the effort and long rehearsals:
"Of course coordinating this show is difficult, but we're up to the challenge. The actors, the crew and I are learning so much – about Greek drama, about stagecraft, and about truly taking care of our audience."
These Seven Sicknesses opens Friday, Nov. 16, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. Tickets are $20 for the general public and are available online at www.moderntheatre.com. Discounted $15 tickets are available for students, seniors, and the Suffolk community at the Suffolk Campus Hub. The ticket price includes dinner and dessert. The Modern Theatre is located at 525 Washington St. in Boston's Theatre District.


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The Start of the Housing Upturn
February 2, 2012
For over 6 years the Arizona housing market has been in a downturn. Falling prices, lower buyer demand, rising inventories and distressed properties have plagued the market – and in turn the economy.
Are we finally coming out of the downturn and starting the upturn? There is evidence to support that we are. Sure, there are still headwinds of unemployment, foreclosures, depressed prices, and strict lending guidelines, however it finally seems that home buyers are taking advantage of this window of opportunity with record low mortgage rates, low prices and increased affordability. The slow yet increasing stabilization of the economy is also a catalyst to housing health.
Let's look a little closer at the numbers.
More Properties are Selling
For the month of January 2012, the number of properties that went under contract in Tucson was 1,652 – the highest monthly rate since April 2010 (which was the last month before the federal home buyer tax credit ended).
Fewer Properties for Sale
While demand has picked up considerably, supply of homes listed for sale has declined. At the end of January 2012 in Tucson there less than 5,000 homes on the market.
Pricing Stabilization
With supply decreasing and demand increasing, basic economics tells us that pricing should stabilize and then eventually rise. And in Phoenix, where the upturn may have actually started in 2011, it has.
Only time will tell, however signals are pointing to 2012 beginning an upturn in the Arizona housing market. Will there still be foreclosures to contend with? Yes. However the market has shown an ability to absorb those foreclosures at a steady pace and the rate of new foreclosure filings has been on a decline. Will it be a crazy, fast upturn? Probably not, and we hope not, but we may expect to see growing demand, more competition for a shrinking supply of listings and price stabilization. We'll be tracking these trends closely at Long Realty and sharing our findings.
Data obtained from TARMLS and ARMLS using Brokermetrics software on 2/2/12
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It's a Price Sensitive Market, Again
Is Housing Returning to a Balanced Market?
Housing Market Trends through 2013
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FHA Will Increase it's Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium
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Arizona Housing Not So Distressed Any More
Tucson Housing Deflating or Recovering? Get the Real Story
In Real Estate it's also Price, Price, Price
A Message To Homeowners - Things Have Changed…
A Shortage of Housing Inventory?
Signs of an Arizona Housing Recovery
The Arizona Luxury Market Breathing Life
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Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
out of 100
Metascore®Generally favorable reviewsbased on a weighted average of allcritic review scores.
The storytelling in A Royal Affair is traditional bordering on square. But the historical drama itself - about how an idealistic German doctor influenced a silly king, romanced a queen, and brought the Age of Enlightenment to 18th-century Denmark - is kind of amazing.
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Takes a fascinating chapter in Danish history, little-known to general audiences, and presents it engagingly.
A big budget historical drama that carries Denmark's hopes into the Oscar season. It provides still more exposure for the rising Danish star Mads Mikkelsen, the latest male sex symbol of the art house crowd.
With its sumptuous settings, urgent romance and intellectual substance, A Royal Affair is a mind-opener crossed with a bodice-ripper.
See all A Royal Affair reviews at Metacritic.com
OK for kids 16+
Hefty historical drama has some racy, violent moments.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Royal Affair -- an engrossing, epic Danish drama based on true historical events -- is filled with the sort of intrigue and dalliances that pepper most accounts of monarchies. Women and men bed partners they're not married to; women are berated and ostracized for actions that men aren't; power corrupts. Expect some drinking and laudanum use, love scenes that show heaving cleavage and naked backsides, and minimal swearing (in subtitles).
Messages: Political intrigue rules the day, but true love provides a respite. Also, the values of the Age of Enlightenment (freedom, rational thought, etc.) are emphasized.
Role models: Queen Caroline Mathilda was a knowledge seeker who wanted to be enlightened and took great risks to free her people. She did, however, have an affair (her husband didn't seem much interested in her).
Violence: Crowds of villagers and disgruntled soldiers storm the castle; later, two prisoners are shown walking toward the gallows. A bloody basket is presumably there to catch their heads when they're beheaded. A woman slaps a man who's disrespectful of her. A man is beaten to death; his bloodied body is discovered atop a fence-like structure.
Sex: A woman's backside is shown while she's astride a man; his head, shoulders, and chest are also visible. Men and women steal kisses from one another; scantily clad women are shown running around a house of ill repute.
Language: "Pissant," "hell" (in subtitles).
Consumerism: Not applicable
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Both royals and non-royals lose themselves in drink. A woman uses laudanum to calm herself; later, she appears to have become addicted to its soporific effects.
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Please note that my zakaah is due in Ramadan. Is it acceptable for me to give it in the month of Hajj (Dhu'l-Hijjah) or Muharram, because there are families who are in great need and their rent becomes due in the months after Ramadan; if I give them the zakaah (before that) they will spend it, then they will be borrowing money all year. Please note that I took it out of my wallet and put it in an envelope on which is written their names and mobile phone numbers. Then when their rent is due, I will give it to them.
It is not permissible to delay paying zakaah from the time when it becomes due for the one for whom it is obligatory, as we have explained in the answer to question no. 67578. What you have mentioned is not an excuse for delaying it when there are so many people who are entitled to it in Muslim countries.
If you think that these families are more deserving than others of receiving your zakaah, then there is nothing wrong with you giving the rent before it becomes due, if you think it most likely that they will be staying in the same house or, if they move, they will not lose the money. Giving it ahead of time may be a cause of reducing some of the rent for them.
It is also possible to pay some of the zakaah for the coming year in advance in the month of Muharram, and to pay the rent that is due on time, from the zakaah on your wealth. Then you can subtract what you already paid from next year's zakaah. See the answer to question no. 98528
You can also pay the rent on these families' homes directly to the landlord, because when the rent becomes due, the renter is then in debt; in that case it is permissible to give the money directly to the one to whom the debt is owed. See the answer to question no. 46209.
And Allah knows best.


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Building a base in a multiplayer NTW map can be quite stressful if you are not sure what you are doing. Using these instructions, Warzone 2100 players will learn how to build their base efficiently, so that they get a head start on the game to dominate the opposition.
How to use your shortcuts effectively
1. Once you get into game, select your trucks immediately.
2. Press F3 to open the build menu and select a research facility.
3. The building should be built in the middle of your trucks so they all build immediately, and do not have to move. The subsequent buildings need to be adjacent to each other so your trucks take as little time as possible moving.
4. Holding down the shift key will allow you to queue as many buildings as you would like to be built, so it is best to queue the rest of your base now.
Build order
5. Look around and make sure your team is starting to build three research facilities, because there are three research options at the start.
6. If there are three, queue two factories. If not, queue enough research facilities to make sure you have three total to start with and then two factories. Your base should look like Figure 1 now.
Fig. 1
7. Once your research facility is done, open the menu (F2) and research whatever you can. The priority goes: sensor, engineering, machine gun.
8. So now you have your research facility done and are working on your factories. You will need to use your four trucks to queue:
• two more research facilities
• two power generators
Then use two trucks to queue four power generators, and the other two to queue four more. The queue should look like Figure 2, but not that far along.
Fig. 2
9. Your factories will be used to create trucks, so when they finish building, press F1 to go into the factory menu. There you will be able to start producing trucks. The first factory you select should build six, and the other should build five since the maximum trucks you can have is 15.
10. Remember to be checking your research menu constantly so you are researching in all of your facilities.
11. The first four trucks you produce will be used to build 10 oil derricks each, to a total of 40. The maximum number of power generators you can build is 10 and each use four oils max, so 40 are all you can use. Your bases should look like Figure 2 right now.
- four trucks building power generators (two building one row of five, two building the other)
- four building oil derricks (one truck per column)
- factory producing units
- research centers researching whatever is there
- **** IF YOU GET RUSHED (your opponent sends early tanks), SEE THE BOTTOM FOR WHAT TO DO ****
12. The next two trucks you produce will be used to help your four original trucks make power generators. One will be assigned to one group of two, and the other to the other group of two.
13. The next trucks you produce will be used to build the command center and rest of your factories. The max number of factories is five, so you need to build three more.
14. Use your four trucks on oil derrick duty to queue the final two research facilities.
- Four trucks building power generators (three building one row of five, three building the other)
- Four building oil derricks (one truck per column), these will be queued to build the final two research facilities.
- Five trucks (as they are produced) are assigned to building the final three factories
- factory producing units
- research centers researching whatever is there
15. Watch your research, so when you have half-tracks and light cannon researched* you can produce light cannon viper half-tracks from your factories once all 15 of your trucks are produced.
16. When all your trucks are about done, research on cyborg factory will be done*, so use all of them to make the five cyborg factories and produce machinegun cyborgs out of them.
Modules and some troop mix help
17. While you are building these cyborg factories, power module should become available*, so take 4 trucks and build this over 5 power generators. Take another 4 and build it over the other 5 power generators.
18. While this is going on, start making mini rocket viper half-tracks* in your regular factories. The trucks you have finishing up the cyborg factories will then be used to build research modules* over the research facilities.
19. After all of this, your base is nearly completed. You just have to use 3 trucks each to build the factory modules* (two upgrades per factory). Since you have 15 trucks, there will be 5 groups for your 5 factories.
20. Your base is now completed! Your base should look like the figure below. Move your trucks up to build repair facilities/sensor hard points and upgrade your troops in the factories!
Fig. 3
**** DO NOT PANIC!!!! What you need to do it try to research mg tower ASAP. If you have it, sent all your trucks to start building some. You will need to send some trucks to your teammate's base and try to finish building your base there. Stop all production of trucks and build tanks. It is extremely helpful to research mg tower vs the rush, so try to research it if you have space in your research facilities.
*These timings are arbitrary based on how well you keep up with the research, making sure your research facilities are being used constantly. If you find one research is finished out of order, upgrade/build that ASAP. Usually if something is off it is late, so you many need to wait for things to build. Always be checking the research menu!


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Body of missing Brookville teen located
The body of missing Brookville teen Devan C. Knapp, 19, was reportedly located earlier this morning in Millcreek Township, Clarion County. A cause of death has not been announced and an autopsy will be performed. The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact PSP Clarion at 814-226-1710 or PSP Punxsutawney at 814-938-0510.


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Life Span:15 - 16 years
Litter Size:2 to 4
Group:Terrier, AKC Toy for Toy Terrier
Recognized By:CKC, FCI, AKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Color:Black and tan
Hair Length:Short
Shedding:Lite Shed
Male Height:15-16 inches (39-40 cm.)
Male Weight:18 pounds (8 kg.)
Female Height:15-16 inches (39-40 cm.)
Female Weight:17 pounds (7.7 kg.)
Living Area:While the Manchester Terrier is a dog that has a lot of energy to spare, they tend to still do well in a smaller apartment dwelling as well as with a larger backyard. As long as this dog can get outside from time to time, and is given plenty of attention, it will be quite content to burn off its energy in the space it is given.Another consideration is that the Manchester Terrier is much better off in warmer climates as its tends to be unhappy in cooler temperatures, due to its coat and skin.
Energy Level:
Exercise Needs:
Other Dogs:
Cold Weather:
Hot Weather:
The Manchester Terrier can be of a standard size or also comes in smaller toy varieties. Considered to be one of the most easily identifiable breeds around, the Manchester Terrier is also one of the oldest breeds around today. With smooth black hair, a long tapered nose, small bright eyes, and a flat narrow skull, this is not a large dog by any means.The chest of the Manchester Terrier is set deep into the body, rather than being wide when measured. The short black hair with lighter brown patches at the feet and muzzle areas allow this dog to be quickly identified in comparison to other dogs. What's impressive about the appearance of the Manchester Terrier is that it has not changed in quite a few centuries.There are two varieties of the Manchester Terrier according to its native England, these are known as the Manchester Terrier and the English Toy Terrier. The Toy breed is much smaller than the 'regular' breed and has become quite the stylish dog to carry around.An easy to train and highly lovable breed, the Manchester Terrier always has a focused expression on its face and can have several different types of ears - cropped, natural erect, and button.
We have Manchester Terrier Puppies For Sale, please support our Manchester Terrier breeders!
The Manchester Terrier has a short coat that is short, smooth, and shiny when healthy. It is black and tan, with the tan focused on the legs, stomach, and muzzle area. The coat should be short and dense, glossy, but never soft in feel.
The Manchester Terrier has a dual history in both England and in the United States, making it a well-traveled breed.In England, the Manchester Terrier was first used as a way to hunt and kill all the rats that were filling up the streets in the 1800s. A man name John Hulme bred a dog by crossing a Whippet and a cross bred terrier to help the 'sport' of rat killing. The result was a dog that was perfectly suited for hunting and killing rats, and thus became a successful dog breed.Also called 'rat terriers' in those days, the idea of breeding smaller dogs was conceived in order to keep up the sport of rat killing. But they were also used in traditional hunting to climb through grasses and thickets that the larger versions could not get through. These smaller dogs were often referred to also as the 'Gentleman's Terrier.'In the United States, the Manchester Terrier was quickly inducted into the American Kennel Club shortly after the club's inauguration.
With a lot of energy to spare, the Manchester Terrier is a great companion for active owners. Outside, this breed of terrier is happy to run around and play, but indoors, they can be calm and sedate.With their energy, the Manchester Terrier is quite capable of being agile and athletic. They might have a slight mischievous streak, but they are also willing to listen to commands from their owners. Loving to please their master, they will respond quickly to training if they are handles in a constant manner with consistent discipline as needed.While the Manchester Terrier is good around children and other pets, they will still need to be watched. It is simply not a good idea to leave this dog alone with smaller children and animals. This terrier still exhibits aggressive tendencies when they are in a situation where they don't feel they are the dominant one or that they need to assert their dominance.Another consideration for those looking at the Manchester Terrier is that they can have troubles when they are left alone for long periods of time - especially when they are young. They can begin to crave this alone time and can become irritated when they are not left to their own devices. It is important to allow younger Manchester Terriers to socialize and interact with others as often as possible to begin to create a healthy demeanor.They will become bored and irritated when they are left alone for long periods of time as they are quite dependent on attention from their owners. This may not be a suitable breed for someone who is gone a lot of the time, or who has to leave the house for extended periods during the day.Sometimes stubborn, proper training can help to manage the Manchester Terrier and make them more suitable for household living. If the dog was improperly trained in its youth, it will need strong training to curb these aggressive tendencies. But you can train them with consistent training exercises and goals.A Manchester Terrier that is not constantly attended to can also exhibit signs of hyperactivity, destructiveness and loud barking.
Because of its tendency to be active, the Manchester Terrier doesn't usually develop a lot of Health Problems. But here are some that have been seen in this particular breed:
With the short tan and black coat, the Manchester Terrier requires little, if any, special grooming. This makes it a perfect fit for those that just don't want to spend the time or the energy on the grooming process. Or, this breed may be a good fit for those without the physical dexterity to handle the grooming - i.e. the physically disabled or elderly.You can brush the coat on a weekly basis, if you like, to keep the excess hair from getting into your home and on your furniture. But this dog truly doesn't shed that much, so it's a quick chore to take care of. The toy Manchester Terrier sheds even less if that's a concern for you.To keep your Manchester Terrier healthy, you will want to check their ears often and keep them clean and free of any infections or obstructions. If you notice anything that's out of the ordinary, it's best to check with your veterinarian to be sure that it's nothing more serious.Bathing this dog isn't something you'll need to do on a regular basis, just on occasion when they've gotten a hold of something less desirable. You might want to become wary if your Manchester Terrier has gotten a bath and still smells bad - that can be a sign of bacteria infections that need medical intervention. Always check with your vet if something doesn't seem right. The vet will want to look at the dog's mouth, ears, and nose to be sure that nothing else is going on.If you should let your Manchester Terrier wander around in nature, you will want to make sure they are getting checked for ticks and fleas when they come back home. If you do notice anything in their paws, ears, or coat, you will want to talk with the vet about handling that situation.
The Manchester Terrier is another dog breed that does like to get as much exercise as possible during the day. In order to sate their hunger for activity, it will work best for you to bring this dog on regular walks with you each day. If you have a trail or park in the area that allows dogs to be off their leash, this will be even better. The Manchester Terrier likes to run around off their leash and will be able to keep up with you - even if you can't keep up with it.If you're the type that enjoys running or biking, the Manchester Terrier will be able to run alongside you without any problems. They might need to have the level of activity built up over time (just like you), but once they get into shape, they're a great workout partner.The only problem you might have with the Manchester Terrier being off the leash is that they like to chase after things, so you might have troubles catching up to this dog if it finds something interesting. If a Manchester Terrier is well-trained and in a secure area, having them off the leash shouldn't be a problem though.
What most owners need to realize about the Manchester Terrier is that their high intelligence is going to cause them to act on higher levels than other dogs might. For example, instead of thinking that your dog is simply behaving badly, you want to start thinking of this behavior as 'rude.' This will help reestablish the idea of a pack order with the Manchester Terrier.To address this rudeness, you want to take charge of things in your dog's life so that they know that you are the one that is in control. This might mean that you are in charge of when they get fed, when they go outside, and other small things that your Manchester Terrier does during the day.By slowly taking control of their life, they begin to realize that you are the one that's at the top of the pack order, not them. This 'respect' sort of training method is generally quite effective for this particular breed because of their natural tendency to be territorial.The good news is that with their intelligence, they will be able to discern what certain words mean and what they should do in a response. For example, if you were to say 'Sit down' and you push them down repeatedly, they will make the connection between the sound and the action.Training for a Manchester Terrier needs to begin at a young age so that they are learning exactly what their place in the family is and what is expected of them. You will need to be firm with their training, consistent, and if you are taking them to obedience courses, you will need to make sure that you are keeping up with the lessons they have learned.This constant attention to what they are doing at all times will allow them to feel like you are in control, but also that you are protecting them. This creates a positive relationship between you and the dog, rather than an adversarial.When your Manchester Terrier has done something that you do not want them to do, you need to step in aggressively to show that the behavior is not tolerated. This might mean that you physically demonstrate your presence or that you raise your voice to indicate when you are upset.This is a breed that requires a lot of training initially, and thus a lot of attention when they are young. If you are unable to provide such attention, this may not be a breed that works for your lifestyle.
The Manchester Terrier And Bad Habits
The Different Types Of Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier A Great Show Dog
The Manchester Terrier And Its Special Needs
View other 6 articles


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By Nick Tattersall
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged the judiciary to remain impartial as it pursues a corruption investigation shaking the government, warning on Friday of grave economic consequences if confidence in the country's institutions is eroded.
In his most exhaustive comments on the graft scandal so far, Gul said the existence of a "state within the state" would not be tolerated, an apparent reference to the movement of U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers are influential in Turkey's police and judiciary.
He also said there should be no tolerance for corruption.
The corruption investigation, which has led to the resignation of three ministers, poses the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in his 11 years as leader. He has cast the probe as a foreign-backed plot to undermine his government and sap his influence in the Middle East and beyond.
Gul, whose role as president is largely ceremonial but who must approve laws passed by parliament and makes key appointments in the judiciary, has not been implicated in the corruption allegations.
"There can be no state within the state," the president said in a live interview on Turkish television, echoing Erdogan's words after police raided offices and homes and detained businessmen close to the government two weeks ago.
"Anybody can work at state institutions - the army, the judiciary, or other state actors - but they have to abide by the law, the constitution and the rules of that institution ... taking orders from somewhere else is not acceptable," he said.
"If there are such claims, these will be investigated and this cannot be allowed. If this is happening within the judiciary, among the judges, this cannot be tolerated."
The corruption probe has pitched Erdogan against Gulen, whose Hizmet ("Service") movement controls a vast global network of schools and businesses and whose sympathizers among Turkey's religious elite say they number in the millions.
Many of Gulen's followers see him as a more progressive and pro-Western influence than Erdogan, whose opinions on issues from abortion to alcohol consumption, and the concentration of power around him they view with increasing alarm.
Erdogan's backers see Gulen's connivance in the inquiry, a charge the cleric has denied through his lawyers.
The prime minister has responded by purging some 70 police officers connected with the investigation and blocking a second probe into big infrastructure projects he has championed.
Gul, seen as a more unifying figure than Erdogan and who has largely stayed out of the furor, emphasized that the judiciary should also be free from government interference.
"We are in parliamentary system and as the president I am trying to do ... everything within my authority to ensure that state institutions are working in harmony," he said.
"The legislative and executive powers are in a way accountable through elections but the judicial system is in a different position. For them, independence and impartiality is much more important."
Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party has relied on its economic record to maintain the support of many Turks.
But the corruption scandal is shaking investor confidence at a time when the lira currency is weakening, inflation rising and growth slowing, risking tipping the nation into its greatest period of political instability in a decade - just before local and national elections this year and next.
"Economic stability comes first," said Gul, who co-founded the AK Party with Erdogan more than a decade ago.
"If there is a worsening in the economy we would be shooting ourselves in the foot. If there is any deterioration in confidence, that will be the biggest damage to the country."
Erdogan, who has won three elections, is barred by party rules from standing for a fourth term as prime minister and is widely expected to run instead for the presidency in August.
That has generated speculation that Gul, rather than running against Erdogan, could become prime minister in general elections currently scheduled for 2015.
Gul declined to be drawn.
"It is too early for me to say anything on this, but I would like to add that nobody should put a risk premium for Turkey on this issue," he said.
"To be frank nothing has been discussed until now, I want everyone to know this. We will have three elections in the next two years and I believe Turkey will complete these as a mature democracy."
(Additional reporting by Asli Kandemir and Tulay Karadeniz; editing by Philippa Fletcher)


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The ASB office is located in room A117. ASB office hours are 7:15am - 3:15pm and the office is generally closed during 3rd period on A and C days and 4th period on B days. Students may purchase items before school from 7:15-7:45am and during brunch and lunch only. You can reach Mrs. Daffern by phone at (408) 522-2534.
Activity Participation Form
Parents and Students: In order to participate in an extracurricular activity, the Activity Participation Form must be filled out in its entirety and submitted to the coach before participation.
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ASB Card/Yearbook
The last day to purchase an ASB Card/Yearbook is on Thursday, December 10. For more information visit the ASB office. The cost of an ASB Card/Yearbook is $95. If you do not purchase an ASB Card/Yearbook now, but then decide you want a Yearbook at the end of the year, it will cost around $140. So, it is a good idea to purchase it now and save some money!
ID Card
For replacement ID cards please visit the ASB office before school, brunch or lunch in order to purchase a new card for $5.
Parking Permits
Parking Permits are $30 for the school year. Student Vehicle Registration forms are available in the ASB office or here . Students may purchase permits during brunch or lunch and should NOT park in the student lot until he/she has purchased a permit and it is displayed in the vehicle. Please remember you need all signatures AND a photocopy of your CA Vehicle Registration AND have cleared all delinquencies prior to purchasing a permit.
If you owe delinquencies to the school, it is your responsibility to clear them. If you believe the delinquency is in error, you need to speak directly with the teacher who turned in the delinquency to the ASB office. The teacher who turned in the form is the only person who can authorize clearing the delinquency. Delinquencies carry over from one year to the next, so students need to keep current to avoid problems. Students who are on the delinquency list cannot attend school dances and seniors with delinquencies still owing at graduation will not receive a diploma. Save yourself a headache and avoid disappointment by clearing your delinquencies. If you have any questions concerning a delinquency, the ASB office will do their best to answer them, but please remember the delinquency is between you and your teacher or coach.
Bus Passes
Students eligible for the subsidized bus pass program will receive information mailed home in August. Students on the program may purchase their bus passes during brunch and lunch in the ASB office beginning on the last school day of the month. Students on the program are reminded there are no bus passes in June or August.